Friday, 17 October 2014

I would like to start by sharing an
experience I had few hours (17/10/2014) ago at a restaurant in Mohammadpur. I
was having some junk foods with my cousin. It’s an open BBQ restaurant with
live music. While having our foods and listening live music we realized that
there is a family in front of us. They were enjoying with us as well. After
like 5-6 minutes I noticed that the women is smoking cigarette and the man is smoking
and drinking something that I have never seen in Bangladesh. I was shocked when
I saw the man taking a bottle of alcohol (something that I have never touched)
from his bag and put it on the table in front of their children. They were
drinking and dancing with their friends and family members.

Was he doing something wrong? Well it depends
how you see it. Bangladesh is a capitalist country (or is it?). Under capitalism you have the
right to maximize your wealth and spend them according to your wish. So they were
not doing something wrong.

Bangladesh is also a democratic country (at least in paper) and
democracy is a system of government by the whole population. Under democracy
all people have the right to express their views and enjoy their life as long
as they don’t disturb others. Where they disturbing?? Well I don’t know. There were
other families with kids enjoying foods and music. No one even tried to stop
them from drinking alcohol and smoking cigarette (not even me and my cousin).
No one even left (well we left) the restaurant because of them.

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction
(Newton’s 3rd lows of motion). I am convinced that what I have seen
today is the opposite reaction of having uncontrolled economic development, our careless attitude towards our culture, values and religious ideology. Am I
against economic development? Well certainly not? My concern is the
consequences of having uncontrolled economic development and not knowing what
to do with their wealth. We were happy when we had less. We respected our
elders when we had less. We cared for each other when we had less. We abided by
the laws when we had less. We did not have many conflicts when we had less. Now
we have more!! But why do we have so many conflicts in our society?? Why alcoholism
and cigarette smoking by man and women are normal?

Am I fundamentalist? well it depends on how you define fundamentalism!!! If you believe in a happy nation where there will be tolerance, respect for elders, no/less conflicts, caring for each other and a sustainable economic development then I am not a fundamentalist.

Am I scared? Yes!! Am I hopeless? Certainly
not, because I have seen some amazing people working for change. I have seen
people grew up/studied in developed countries, came back and trying to bring a
positive change in our society.